Mr. Speaker, last Friday I hosted the seventh annual International Women's Day breakfast. International Women's Day is a celebration for every woman of every woman.
This year's theme, “She's on a Role”, is a very fitting title for our amazing speakers. Kim McArthur is the president and publisher of McArthur & Company, a leading Canadian book publisher. Angela Mondou is a seasoned Canadian Forces veteran who has shown that whether it is deploying troops to Bosnia or working in the high tech sector, women are excelling. As she says, “Take away the shells and the weapons and we're still in the same frantic war”. A true Canadian success story.
The Speech from the Throne reflects the priorities of women in Canada and there is much to do. Women owned businesses contribute more than $18 billion each year to our economy. They are powerhouses in corporate Canada, yet they hold only 11.2% of corporate board positions. It is shameful. International--